ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Nectarios Triantis scored two goals late in the second half as Minnesota United beat the San Jose Earthquakes 3-1 on Saturday for their third straight victory.

Despite the loss, San Jose (14-10-10) clinched a top-four spot in the MLS Cup playoffs.

Minnesota (11-12-11) entered needing a win and some help to secure a wild card spot, but Seattle beat LAFC to keep the Loons out of the playoffs.

Tomas Chancalay tied it at 1-all in the 57th minute for Minnesota. Chancalay raced past the defense for a through ball from Joaquin Pereyra and rolled a breakaway shot inside the far post.

Minnesota took a 2-1 lead in the 82nd when Marcus Caldeira settled a ball at the back post and poked it to Triantis for a deflected shot that bounced off the post and in.

Triantis received a pass near the midfield circle and took four touches to get inside the 18-yard box for a shot through the legs of a defender and under a diving Angus Gunn in stoppage time.

San Jose is winless in its last eight league games against the Loons dating to a pair of 1-1 draws in 2023. The Quakes have failed to score two goals in any game during the stretch.

Preston Judd opened the scoring for San Jose in the 45th. Niko Tsakiris made a long run but cutting back two defenders on a nice individual effort and he sent a through ball for an unmarked Judd, who calmly sent it inside the far post.

Up next

San Jose: Will play No. 5 seed Houston in a best-of-three series.

Minnesota: Season is over.

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